OLYMPIA—Washington State Supreme Court Justice Mary Yu announced her retirement, effective December 31, 2025, concluding a judicial career spanning over 25 years.
“Throughout her time on the bench, Justice Yu has demonstrated her commitment to respect, dignity and fairness for all,” Governor Bob Ferguson released in a statement. “As the first in her family to go to college — and as the first LGBTQ+ justice, the first Asian-American justice and the first Latina-American justice on the high court — she brought her perspective to bear in seeking to make our court system more accessible, equitable and effective. She understands and appreciates the value of diverse perspectives in our state courts, and she is an excellent mentor and role model for newer attorneys. Her legacy is in bending Washington state further toward justice.”
Born and raised in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood by immigrant parents from Mexico and China, Justice Yu was the first in her family to graduate from college. She earned a B.A. from Dominican University, an M.A. in Religious Studies from Mundelein College of Loyola University, and a J.D. from the University of Notre Dame Law School.
Before her judicial career, Yu worked in the Peace and Justice Office for the Archdiocese of Chicago, eventually becoming its director under Cardinal Joseph Bernardin. She later served as Deputy Chief of Staff to King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng and as a deputy in the Criminal and Civil Divisions.
Yu’s judicial journey began in 2000 as a trial court judge in King County Superior Court, where she presided over criminal, civil, juvenile, and family law cases, including hundreds of adoptions.
She was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2014 and elected in 2014, then successfully re-elected in 2016 and 2022.
On the Supreme Court, Justice Yu co-chaired the Minority and Justice Commission, chaired the Public Trust and Confidence Committee, and mentored countless young attorneys and students. Her dedication to mentorship extended to her 17-year role as a judge for the Seattle Girls’ School Mock Trials and her service as Jurist in Residence at Seattle University School of Law.
Justice Yu’s commitment to public service earned her numerous accolades, including the 2025 Anshei Ma’aseh Award of Distinction, the 2024 “Woman of Influence” Award from the Puget Sound Business Journal, and the 2022 Loren Miller Bar Association Lifetime Achievement Award, among others.
In 2021, Seattle University School of Law established the Justice Mary I. Yu Endowed Scholarship Fund in her honor, recognizing her contributions to legal education and diversity.
Yu officiated Washington’s first same-sex marriages in 2012, a move that earned her an appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel Show.
On December 9, 2012, by then-King County Superior Court Judge Mary Yu, Sarah and Emily Cofer were the first gay couple to be legally married in Washington state at the King County Courthouse in Seattle at 12:01 a.m.
“The success of the marriage equality movement stunned even its advocates at the time,” Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said. “The transformation from ‘outlaws to in-laws’ was one of the swiftest turnarounds in U.S. civil rights history. I am honored to have voted in support of marriage equality as a State Senator in 2012, and I am proud our state was a trailblazer in the national movement toward same-sex marriage recognition.”
As Yu prepares to step down, Governor Ferguson has begun the process to appoint a successor by December 1, 2025.
Author: Mario Lotmore
